Watersheds, according Joyce Beouch, BWA coordinator, are not rivers or lakes, but rather “are land areas on which water accumulates and drains into streams, rivers, lakes, or the ocean.” Watersheds often have very visible lush plant life – indicative of the presence of water.
Aimeliik State, she said, is one of the bigger states in Palau and clearly has watersheds. Her leaders, intent on protecting the state’s natural resources, have, through legislative processes and meetings with BWA, elected to join forces with Ngaremlengui, Melekeok, and Ngiwal in an effort to protect all of Babeldaob’s water sources.Aimeliik State Governor Leilani Reklai, Speaker Teruo Rengulbai, and other legislative and traditional leaders of the state signed BWA’s Master Cooperative Agreement to officially become a member of BWA yesterday.According to Beouch, the leaders of Ngarchelong State and Ngardmau State have conveyed their interests in joining with the alliance.“We are very hopeful that all of the states in Babeldaob will be freely willing to join the alliance,” Beouch said, “Not for the sake of the alliance name, but for the sake of all the people of Palau – those who are here and those who are destined to come.”Kashgar Rengulbai, BWA Steering Committee Chairman, further added that allying all of Babeldaob’s states together would directly influence, for the better, BWA’s water conservation efforts. In addition, it would provide the alliance freedom of movement – as water is borderless – from state to state to provide necessary support in a synchronized manner.BWA was created and implemented in 2006 when the traditional and elected leaders of the states of Melekeok and Ngaremlengui took the initiative and began discussions about forming a cooperative to ensure that the resources in existence within Babeldaob are protected. In November 2007, Ngiwal State enlisted into BWA.The mission of the BWA is to “protect, conserve, and restore the water resources of Babeldaob through collaborative outreach, education, networking, science, information sharing, and technical assistance by and for the communities of the island.”BWA aims to ensure that the watersheds within Babeldaob are protected; thus, ensuring that the water quantity and quality are maintained at their best possible.According to members of the BWA steering committee, protecting Babeldaob’s watershed systems is “a must.” Babeldaob is Palau’s main source of water and its watersheds must be protected.“Everything in Babeldaob is connected in some way, “Speaker Collin Joseph of Melekeok said, “What I do in Melekeok State’s watersheds will effect the people of Ngchesar. When we talk about water and its flow, we must consider ecological boundaries. Water will move from state to state; and what I do to the water in Melekeok will determine how it is used in Ngchesar.”Collin further added that all of the states in Babeldaob are highly urged and encouraged to join BWA. The states will have “so much to gain and nothing to lose.”
